He reaches up and runs his fingers over my jaw again, and this time all I feel is electricity shooting through me, all the way down my spine. The heat from his body is soaking into me and I’m struggling to concentrate.

I was just here to flirt so that I could piss my uncle off, but this is backfiring in a big way.

Alexei’s fingers are still wrapped around my jaw as he tilts my face up towards his. He leans close. Our lips are inches apart.

“What are you playing at, Clara?” he whispers, and the warmth of his breath brushes over my skin.

“Playing…" I mumble, my eyes locked onto his. “Um…." WhatwasI doing?

He chuckles, a low rumble that vibrates through my chest. Then he drops his hand and lets it slide all the way over my waist down to my hip. He pulls me against him, pushing his groin into me.

“Are you sure you want to play with me like this?” he growls.

The barman puts two tequilas down at the bar counter and I take the chance to turn my body away from him.

I clear my throat softly. Get a grip, Clara, what the hell. Get yourself under control.

I take a deep breath, hold up my shot glass and throw Alexei a grin that I hope saysI am still in control of myself.Then I toss my head back and let the gold tequila pour down mythroat, hoping that the harshness of it will snap my brain back into itself.

My body is going crazy. This was such a stupid move.

Alexei’s hands are on my waist again, pulling me back to face him, the heat of his touch searing against my body. I should stop him, but I don’t. I let him turn me, and I let him pull me close. I can feel the curve of his body against mine.

His hand travels up the back of my neck and knots in my long, strawberry blonde hair, which I wore in loose curls today. Then he twists his fingers in my hair and gently but firmly, pulls my head back.

He leans down and lets his lips brush over the skin of my neck.

My knees feel as though they are about to collapse beneath me. I reach out and grab his waist to steady myself, but touching him like this is making it worse.

I gasp softly, and a low chuckle ripples through him.

Fuck.

What is going on?

His lips are now hovering over mine again and I find myself tilting my head up a little more, wanting him to kiss me—what am I doing? Stop this immediately.

My chest explodes with panic when I realize that I have completely lost control of my body. He’s so fucking sexy and my mind is doing wild flip-flops to try and escape all of my reasoning and now I am about to kiss Alexei Dubrov.

I push my hands against his chest, hard, abrupt.

His fingers release my hair. The grin on his lips tells me that he knows he almost had me there.

I spin around, fast, in a hurry to get away.

Then I disappear into the crowd.

I rush away quickly, ducking back into my uncle’s mansion, running up the stairs to my bedroom, and slamming the door behind myself, locking it just to be sure.

I lean with my back against the door, breathing heavily and still full of panic.

What in the world just happened? That was way too close for comfort. I was just trying to annoy my uncle. I didn’t expect to be that turned on.

Chapter 2 - Alexei

I kick the base of the door and it springs open. My arms are full—my laptop, a takeaway coffee, a few files and a bad mood.

My office is a bit of a mess, and it feels as chaotic as my head.